Every single day with my aunt and uncle was the same.I’d wake up before the sun and start the outside chores.Those had to be completed before I made my way inside to make breakfast and pack my uncle’s lunch for work.The second they were done eating whatever large meal I prepared for them, my uncle would leave for his job while my aunt spent the day with whoever she chose.Neither one of them stayed home for very long which worked out well for me most days.After cleaning the kitchen from cooking and washing their dishes by hand despite them having a dishwasher, I’d move through each room of the house cleaning and ensuring there wasn’t a speck of dirt left behind.The only room I was never allowed in was their bedroom.They left their laundry out in the hallway for me to do and then I’d leave it in the basket directly outside their door when it was done each day.
The only time I ever had to myself was if I managed to get all of the chores done before I had to start cooking dinner for them.Those were the times I spent outside if it was nice out.I stayed in the barn all year round regardless of how hot or cold it was.There was no heat and the only window was painted shut.I never got any relief from the elements and no one cared.Anyway, I found an old digital camera in the barn buried in a trunk of things that belonged to my mom.Without deleting the few pictures of her and my dad from the memory card, I used that camera every single day.It didn’t matter what I was taking pictures of, I simply fell in love with it from the second the camera was in my hands.The only other escape I had was reading books my mom had in the same trunk.Thankfully I didn’t find those until I was a little older because some of those chapters are a little descriptive and filled my head with images I didn’t understand.Now, I don’t have either one of those escapes.Well, I’ll have my camera once the small bag of my things is returned to me.Something I overheard the guards talking about a day or two ago.
I don’t let hope fill me from his words like I know most of the other girls will.There’s no point when this is an auction and there’s no guarantee other than the fact that someone will be taking me home with them.I’ll simply be moving from one cage to the next one.How I’m treated all depends on the monster who buys me.My freedom was stripped years ago and I have no clue what I’d even do if I were allowed to make decisions for myself.Or leave whatever building that becomes my cage.Or a prison cell as I sometimes think of it.
As the group of men leave my side and move on to the next girl, I can’t tear my eyes from the man who touched me.It’s the first time I’ve been touched since I was almost four years old and lost my parents.Other than when I’m being abused, I haven’t felt a kind touch from anyone I’ve come across.At this point, I can’t even tell you how long it’s been because I’ve lost track of how old I am.Without the celebration of birthdays, there was no reason for me to keep track of something so completely unimportant when I was barely managing to get through each day.It’s truly hard to survive when you’re not allowed any food or water.I was given one meal a week and it was the scraps my aunt and uncle tossed me as if an afterthought so I didn’t die in their care.
While watching the one man, I find his eyes straying toward me every few seconds.I don’t understand why he’d be looking at me for any reason.Confusion fills me as the next group approaches and I’m once again touched by monsters and hear words that make my skin crawl about what will be done to me.For the first time in longer than I can remember, tears threaten to fill my eyes but I force them back because that’s a weakness no one will ever get from me again.I watch as the group of men move to the far wall and circle together as they begin talking in hushed whispers.They gesture with their hands as if they’re making signals to one another and it almost reminds me of an old military show I once caught a few minutes of when I was cleaning inside and my uncle was home.
Still, hope doesn’t fill me as I try to force every thought and feeling to the stuffed box in my mind of all the trauma I’ve suffered most of my life.Finally, I manage to pull my eyes away from the man as the leader walks closer to me and I realize he’s got a taser in his hand.I don’t want to feel the bite of that again.Today is going to be the day that determines how much longer I live and how beaten I’ll be the day I take my last breath.
Prologue Two
Kreed
SIX DAMN MONTHS.That’show long we’ve been working on figuring out a way to get into the auction selling women to the highest bidders.Not many people know that we work to bring down traffickers the second we hear about a new ring.Yes, we realize the second one group gets taken down another one takes its place.The more we can get ahead of the situation and bring down each group, the safer everyone will be.I really never believed we’d find one so close to Glendale.It took time for us to discover this one because everyone is extremely tight-lipped about it and they don’t do anything in Glendale’s borders.Surrounding towns aren’t included, but no one is ever touched in the town we now call home.Anyway, we’ve been investigating and laying the groundwork to infiltrate the ring holding the auction and it’s taken a lot longer than we anticipated.These men keep everyone close and rarely let in anyone new.
“Who’s takin’ point on this one?”Reckless asks as we sit in church and go over all the information we have.
“I am.I’ve been the main one diggin’ up information with Master on this ring and the shit I’ve heard I don’t want too many others to learn.Master is the only other one who knows almost as much as I do,” I answer immediately while thinking about the information I’ve gathered while on the streets and in dive bars we have no desire to enter on a regular basis.
“What do you need?”my best friend asks, looking directly at me so he can judge where my head is.He knows this investigation has taken a toll on me and I haven’t spoken to anyone about it.Reckless is worried but won’t say anything in front of the rest of the club.
“I need a small team to go to the auction with me.I’ve put it out that I’m in the mafia and lookin’ for a new playthin’.It took until late last night for me to get the invitation to the auction and they’re expectin’ a group of six,” I answer the table as I look around and my eyes land on our newest member, Viper.“Viper, you’re sittin’ this one out.I know you want to go with us, but this one will hit too close to home for you and I’m not puttin’ you through that shit.”
“I can handle it, Link,” he says, sitting up straighter in his seat and looking directly at me.
No matter how hard Viper tries, he can’t hide the pain from years of abuse.The women we’ll be seeing have been abused repeatedly in every way possible.While we all know Viper has worked hard and put in the time to heal and even goes to counseling now, there is no way I will put him in a situation where he suffers.Seeing the women at the auction could trigger him and I can’t risk him going off.Viper doesn’t always let his emotions get the better of him, but when they do he strikes fast and hard.There is no warning and it takes several of us to stop him.We’ve only witnessed it twice and this is not a situation for him to test his resolve.
“We all know you can handle a lot more than when you were first brought into the club, Viper.None of us are questionin’ that.I’ve seen pictures and heard a lot of shit about what we’ll be walkin’ into.One of the rumors is that your stepdad is involved.He’ll get the endin’ he deserves, but it won’t be in the middle of an auction with a ton of witnesses.Youwillget your justice and it will be however you want it to happen.Please, sit this one out and you can come on the next one.I promise you that as the Vice President of this club,” I tell him, needing him to hear my words and realize I’m doing this to protect him and no other reason than that.“You’ll be able to help once we bring the girls back to the clubhouse.You’ll have a connection with them none of us will be able to make.”
“You promise I can go next time?”he questions me, hope filling his eyes because he still feels as if he has to prove himself to each of us in the club.Luca, now known as Viper, won’t ever have to prove anything to us for any reason.
“You have my word.”
“Viper, I want you on point here at the clubhouse.Anythin’ you think the girls will need, you get it for them and have it ready.No expense spared.Link, you choose the men to go with you and get with them away from the rest of us.This is your plan and we’ll do whatever it takes to support you, but the less we know until everythin’ is over, the better it will be for the club.Did you call this in to anyone?”Reckless asks me, his voice holding that edge of rage each of us gets when it comes to traffickers.
